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French & Company LLC

P.W. French & Company

active 1940s

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The head and shoulders of a young boy have been carved from white marble in this freestanding sculpture. In this photograph, the boy’s shoulders are square to us, and he turns his head to look off to our left. His wavy hair comes low on his forehead and curls along the back of his neck. He has slightly raised brows, and the irises of his eyes are lightly carved so the boy appears to look up under heavy lids. He has an oval face with smooth cheeks, a delicate nose, and his lips are closed. He wears a garment that appears to be fur under a more voluminous robe, which drapes over one shoulder and wraps around the chest. The sculpture ends in a straight, blunt line below the shoulders, and it sits on a stepped, white marble base. The background is pale gray.
Anonymous Artist, The Young Saint John the Baptist, c. 1460, marble, Widener Collection, 1942.9.142

The Young Saint John the Baptist

Anonymous Artist · c. 1460 · marble ·  Accession ID  1942.9.142

Set in a church, nine men and one woman gather around a throne, on which sits a young boy in this vertical painting. All the people have pale or olive-toned skin. The boy has long, wavy brown hair framing an oval face with delicate features. He looks down in front of him as he holds the tips of his two pointer fingers to touch. His gold-edged, ocean-blue robe falls loosely to the floor over one bare foot. The throne is carved from parchment-white stone and it sits on a low platform set on three shallow steps. Behind the boy, a crimson-red cloth patterned with gold and edged with a moss-green border is held up with four ropes tied into a four-point canopy. Five bearded and cleanshaven men stand and sit in a close group to our left, in front of the throne. They all wear hats, including a turban, hoods, and caps, and long robes in red, green, and white. Two hold open books and each man looks in a different direction, either toward the child or toward the group of four men and one woman clustered to our right. At the center of that second group, the woman wears a white cloth covering her head and a teal-blue robe, and she holds her hands together in prayer. Upon closer inspection, one finds that the woman and child’s heads are surrounded by lines radiating out to create haloes. The other four men in the group to our right also wear jewel-toned robes, and all wear caps except for one man, who is bareheaded. The man closest to us holds his hands with fingertips touching, like the child. The floor between the groups, leading up to the throne, is inlaid with square and X-patterns in sky blue, rose pink, golden yellow, and off white. To either side of the throne and behind the groups of men, six columns support statues carved from white stone. The polished columns are marbled with brick red, pine green, and fawn brown. Two taller columns along the left and right edges of the painting support a pale gray stone arch, which is cut off by the top edge. The apse beyond the throne is decorated on the second level with stained glass set within gray stone walls. An arched opening in the wall to our right, above the woman, leads to a view of buildings with stepped rooflines.
Master of the Catholic Kings, Christ among the Doctors, c. 1495/1497, oil on panel, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1952.5.43

Christ among the Doctors

Master of the Catholic Kings · c. 1495/1497 · oil on panel ·  Accession ID  1952.5.43

An older man, a young man, and a dog stand on a verandah that opens onto a landscape in this vertical portrait painting. The men are pale skinned and shown from the knees up. The older man stands on the left with his head turned to look off in that direction. Long, silver-gray hair frames his flushed face. Bushy brows curve over his dark gray eyes, and deep creases line his long nose. His plump pink lips are closed between a thin white mustache above and a dot of a beard below. A long white collar hangs down the chest of his lead-gray jacket. His right sleeve, on our left, is turned back to show the cuff of a puffy-sleeved white shirt underneath. That hand holds gleaming velvet-black fabric, which is gathered at his waist and falls to his knees. His other hand rests on the shoulder of the young man to our right. That man’s oval face is framed by thick, shoulder-length, curly, chestnut-brown hair. He gazes at us with amber eyes under slender brows. He has flushed cheeks, a narrow nose, and coral-red lips are slightly parted. A bright orange ribbon tied under a white brocaded ascot around his neck is wider than his face. His russet-brown jacket is unbuttoned to show an embroidered gold and azure-blue vest underneath. A wide pink sash is fastened around his left elbow, on our right, and billowing white sleeves extend from the shorter sleeves of the jacket. He holds his right hand, to our left, palm up with his index finger extended toward the dog in front of him, who has turned to look up. Shown from the back, the dog has long, glossy, coffee-brown fur with some white streaks. The young man’s other hand rests on a chipped stone balustrade next to him. The artist signed and dated the work as if he had carved the front face of the balustrade to read, “N. De Largillierre F. 1685.” Two stone columns rise to either side of the young man and give way to a tree-filled landscape under a muted blue sky above.
Nicolas de Largillierre, Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor, 1685, oil on canvas, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1961.9.26

Portrait of a Young Man and His Tutor

Nicolas de Largillierre · 1685 · oil on canvas ·  Accession ID  1961.9.26

A clean-shaven, young man, David, stands with his feet to either side of a severed head in this free-standing marble sculpture. In this view, David’s body angles to our left but he turns his oval face to us as he looks into the distance with wide eyes. He has a straight nose, closed lips, and a round chin. Short hair curls on his forehead and to the nape of his neck. The strap of a satchel is slung over one shoulder and across his torso over a thigh-length toga. He stands with his weight on his right foot, to our left, and the other knee bent so the foot rests at an angle along the jawline of the severed head. David holds the strap of a long slingshot down by his right side, to our left, so the pocket end of the slingshot rests on the ground at that foot. The other hand is braced, palm out, on the slightly bent thigh. The severed head is larger in scale than David’s head, and it lies on one ear. The head has a beard, curly hair, and the eyes are closed. A column of marble behind the pair help support the stone’s weight. The surface of the marble has deepened to parchment white in some areas and is a darker tan on David’s face. The sculpture has an oval base carved from the same stone, and it rests on a pedestal against a pale pink stone wall.
Bernardo Rossellino, Antonio Rossellino, The David of the Casa Martelli, c. 1461/1479, marble, Widener Collection, 1942.9.115

The David of the Casa Martelli

Bernardo Rossellino, Antonio Rossellino · c. 1461/1479 · marble ·  Accession ID  1942.9.115

The sculpture depicts a central figure at the top, a nude male wearing a winged helmet, holding an object in one hand and with the other raised. Surrounding the base are seated figures with draped clothing, animal heads, and ornamental elements, crafted with intricate details. The sculpture appears to have a bronze appearance and a dark patina, giving it a classic look. It stands on a solid base, emphasizing its grandeur and complexity.
Venetian 17th Century, Andiron with Figure of Mars, c. 1600/1675, bronze, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1961.9.100

Andiron with Figure of Mars

Venetian 17th Century · c. 1600/1675 · bronze ·  Accession ID  1961.9.100

Three men and two women sit or stand along the far side of a long table, with more people looking on or gathered in other rooms behind them in this tall, vertical painting. All the people have pale skin. The long table stretches nearly the width of the painting. Near the left edge of the painting, a woman wearing a teal-blue robe over a white head scarf holds her hands together in front of her chest in prayer, and she looks down and to our right toward the tabletop. Next to her, a bearded man wearing a loose, eggplant-purple robe, Jesus, holds his right hand, to our left, up in front of his chest with his first two fingers raised, and the other hand rests on the table. His long, wavy brown hair hangs by his face, and he looks down toward the table with hooded eyes, his head tilted slightly to our left. Gold lines radiate out from the woman and Jesus’s heads. At his left shoulder, to our right, a man wearing a sky-blue cap and an emerald-green robe holds an oval-shaped bowl filled with a red liquid toward Jesus with one hand, and the other rests on the table. He looks to our left with light brown eyes under arched brows, and he has deep wrinkles across his forehead, at the corners of his eyes, along his chin line, and around his mouth. To our right and at the end of the table, a young, cleanshaven man sits next to a woman. Both have wavy blond hair, and they look down at the table. The man wears a crimson-red cap and a white fur-lined red cloak with a gold, jeweled clasp lined with teardrop pearls. His right hand, to our left, is lifted toward the woman sitting next to him. The woman wears a pearl-and-jewel headband around a white cloth that drapes down the back of her head. Her pine-green dress is patterned with shimmering gold, stylized leaf designs and has full, loose, white sleeves. She wears three gold rings on the hand resting on the table and two jeweled, gold bands on the other, which rests on her belly. Two younger people, both with brown, shoulder-length hair, stand on our side of the table, facing away from us as they look toward the woman to our right. The one to our left wears a brick-red tunic, and he holds a shallow, round bowl. The one to our right wears teal blue and holds a gold goblet on the table. With his other hand, he points down at six tall jugs on the geometrically patterned floor, and a brown dog stands at his feet. The table is covered with a white cloth, which is decorated with bands of stylized leaves and borders on the side facing us. Along the bottom of the cloth, above long fringe, a Latin inscription reads, “AVE GRACIA PLENA DOMINVS TECV BENEDICTATV INMVILEDIDVS ET BENEDICTVS.” Two gold plates, a few pieces of round, flat bread, and two knives are spaced along the tabletop. Behind the group at the table, one person stands to our left, another at the center, and a trio of men stand to our right. The far wall of the room is peirced with two tall, narrow arches of wood or dark stone to our left. At the top of the column separating the arches, there is white statue of a man holding up two round-topped tablets. The archway to our right opens onto a room with a bed covered with a ruby-red cover and a white pillow. Under the other arch, to our left, one woman and three men sit or stand around a round table in front of a tall fireplace mantle. One of the men holds a large, pewter-silver pitcher up to his lips, and the other three look on. The round table is covered with a white cloth and set with a few dishes. A door on the far wall of that room opens onto a street view lined with buildings.
Master of the Catholic Kings, The Marriage at Cana, c. 1495/1497, oil on panel, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1952.5.42

The Marriage at Cana

Master of the Catholic Kings · c. 1495/1497 · oil on panel ·  Accession ID  1952.5.42

This colorful sculpture is a relief depicting a woman kneeling with her hands clasped in prayer, turned to the left, facing a small child lying on the ground. The woman wears draped robes and has a halo behind her head, while the child also has a halo but is nude. The ground the child lies on is green, with tall white flowers sprouting from green stems behind them. The sky behind the woman is blue, and two cherubic heads are on either side of her head, each with halos and wings. At the very top of this scene, two arms reach down from above holding a white crown with green and blue gems, appearing to be about to place it on the woman's head. This scene is framed with an elaborate border with green leaves, yellow fruits, brown pinecones, and clusters of dark purple grapes. At the bottom of the border are two more cherubic heads. Below that is a small section with a green wreath around what appears to be a round coat of arms featuring a lion and a large X. The people in the sculpture are all completely white, and there is a gold arched border around the sculpture.
Andrea della Robbia, The Adoration of the Child, after 1477, glazed terracotta, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1961.1.2

The Adoration of the Child

Andrea della Robbia · after 1477 · glazed terracotta ·  Accession ID  1961.1.2

This horizontal tapestry is divided into three vertical sections by architectural columns and arches. The center column is a little wider than those to either side, but all three sections are packed with people, all with ivory-white skin. In the center column, a crowned Jesus is seated on a throne at the top center. His elaborately patterned robe falls in folds down past his feet. He hovers above a landscape view, which is flanked in the foreground by groups of men and women. About a dozen people are clustered on each side, many of them looking up at Jesus, and most of them wearing religious garments that range from monks and nuns to cardinals and bishops. Two crowned men kneel to our right in the center panel, their hands pressed together in prayer. Each column on either side of the central panel is divided so there is a smaller vignette above taller vignettes below. Large groups of people gather in each scene. Much of the tapestry’s surface is now brown, but it is punctuated throughout with patches of rust red, sky blue, and pale yellow.
Netherlandish 16th Century, The Triumph of Christ ("The Mazarin Tapestry"), c. 1500, tapestry: undyed wool warp; dyed wool, silk, and silver-gilt- and silver-wrapped silk weft, Widener Collection, 1942.9.446

The Triumph of Christ ("The Mazarin Tapestry")

Netherlandish 16th Century · c. 1500 · tapestry: undyed wool warp; dyed wool, silk, and silver-gilt- and silver-wrapped silk weft ·  Accession ID  1942.9.446

A woman wearing long robes and standing on an upturned, gold crescent moon is surrounded by twenty winged angels who lift her up, sing, or play musical instruments in this vertical painting. Below, a grassy landscape with rocky hills, a river, and buildings stretches into the distance. Along the top edge of the painting and smaller in scale, more angels surround two men sitting on a throne, holding a crown. All the people have smooth, pale skin, oval faces with small, delicate facial features, and long wavy hair. They wear fluttering, jewel-toned robes. The woman at the center, Mary, stands facing us with her eyes downcast and her hands held together in prayer. Her strawberry-blond hair lightens where her hair rests over her shoulders, and a jeweled band encircles her head. She wears a long, ruby-red dress with a jeweled neckline and navy-blue cloak trimmed with gold. Eight of the winged angels seem to lift her body, four along each side. Seven more angels float around the scene playing instruments, including a lute, a harp, recorder-like instruments, and stringed instruments, one of which resembles a violin and another a dulcimer. Along the top of the group, around Mary’s head, four angels sing, holding sheet music. In tiny letters, writing on the sheet of music to our left reads, “A ve regina celorum mr regis,” while the writing on the music to our right reads, “A Tenor ve regina.” The angels wear robes in emerald green, royal or sky blue, butter yellow, rose pink, tomato red, silver, or white, and their wings match their robes. Some of the robes are embroidered with gold and some angels wear jeweled diadems. The edges of an oval, gold halo are visible behind the angels at Mary’s head and feet. Above Mary and the angels, a scene, much smaller in scale, recedes into the distance within a ring of dark clouds. Two haloed, bearded men wearing scarlet-red robes and with shoulder-length brown hair sit on a wide throne covered with a black and gold brocade cloth. The man to our left is bareheaded and the man to our right has a tall, blue and gold crown. A white dove with wings spread hovers above a second gold crown they hold between them. More than a dozen angels surround the throne, holding up the cloth or singing. A black and red checked tile floor stretches in front of the throne. Along the bottom edge of the painting, beneath Mary and the angels, a grassy landscape with fields and trees stretches into the distance to gray castle-like structures. A river winds from the lower right between the buildings. A man rides a horse near the riverbank to our right, and the shore is lined with minuscule shells. To our left, a second man walks in the field, away from us toward the building, and another man crosses a short bridge over a second, smaller stream.
Master of the Saint Lucy Legend, Mary, Queen of Heaven, c. 1485/1500, oil on panel, Samuel H. Kress Collection, 1952.2.13

Mary, Queen of Heaven

Master of the Saint Lucy Legend · c. 1485/1500 · oil on panel ·  Accession ID  1952.2.13

The sculpture is placed on a large wooden table. The piece resembles a decorative finial with intricate designs of scrolls and figures. The sculpture is a dark metallic color, suggesting it may be made of bronze or a similar metal. It sits on a red fabric-covered tabletop in a setting with polished stone flooring and neutral-toned walls.
Italian 16th Century, Large Walnut Table with Uberti Arms, c. 1500, walnut, pine, and maple inlay, Widener Collection, 1942.9.381

Large Walnut Table with Uberti Arms

Italian 16th Century · c. 1500 · walnut, pine, and maple inlay ·  Accession ID  1942.9.381

Bibliography

1957

  • "World's Fanciest Second-Hand Furniture Dealer." Life 43, no. 6 (5 August 1957): 38-48.

1958

  • French & Co., Inaugural Exhibition, October 1958.

1984

  • Stretch, Bonnie Barrett. "The French Connection - French & Company." Art & Auction 7, no. 4 (November 1984): 116-120.

2003

  • Bremer-David, Charissa. "French & Company and American Collections of Tapestries , 1907-1959." Studies in the Decorative Arts XI, no. 1 (Fall-Winter 2003-2004):38-68.